I Call it Love
by AriesLatina
Summary: E/C fluff! Just a song fic that popped into my head after listening to Lionel Richie's "I Call it love." Post "Smoke Gets in your CSI's" Please R&R! It would mean a lot!


_**A/N: I watched the video for the song "I Call it love" by Lionel Richie and saw Adam in it and I already loved the song so I was hoping a fic idea would eventually pop into my head for it. So here it is! ...Let me know what you think!! I'd love to hear it!! :) As always, I own nothing, The Song is Called I Call it Love interpreted By Lionel Richie and all CSI:Miami characters of course do not belong to me. :( :P Enjoy!! **_

Eric took Calleigh home from the hospital that day. On his way to pick her up he couldn't help but think how blessed he was that she was still with him. He could've lost her and just the thought of that killed him, hands down he felt way more pain then when he got shot. He even felt more fear now then when he got shot because he knew THE conversation was coming. After all, she heard what he had said to her in the hospital. Quickly, he made his way to the hospital elevators and up to the third floor. The silver doors opened changing the scenery from his own distorted reflection to a starch white room at the end of the hallway. There she was sitting on her bed all dressed and ready to go. Eric couldn't help but think how cute she looked. It was another side of Calleigh, that he knew she only trusted him with. It was casual Calleigh, wearing a simple, purple, v-neck sweater, and white jeans. It wasn't the usual at work-dark-color-wearing Calleigh, not that he didn't find that Calleigh extremely sexy either.

_I Look At You You Look At Me (You Can't Help It You're Feeling Butterflies) Its obvious, We have Chemistry (I think I know it cuz it feels so right) _

"Hey!" She smiled brightly at him, breaking him out of his mental comparison.

He smiled back, "Hey, look at you! You look great! You sure you didn't fake sick just to get out of work and still not blow your work-a-holic cover?" Eric questioned her playfully. He didn't want things to start of with a serious tone, there was enough seriousness ahead of them. He really wasn't paying much attention to what he was saying anyway, he was fixed on her eyes and the way the purple just brought them out even more. Noticing his affectionate stare Calleigh felt herself go weak under his gaze. She felt as if she had to pass an inspection to please him, but at the same time she knew she would pass every single time. He loved her, and she felt it. Not breaking their eye contact she smiled back at him once more, "Ready to go?"

"I'm ready if your ready!" Eric let the words slip out of his mouth and laughed internally at the irony of that phrase. God he hoped she was ready.

Eric helped her up from the bed. Calleigh got up slowly, in a weird way not wanting to depart from the spot where just 48 hours ago she had heard the most beautiful words ever spoken to her. She had no idea where they stood as of right now, but she knew she would have to confront the situation soon.

They both made their way out of the hospital, saying their good byes to Alexx, with promises of seeing her soon. The drive home was uneventful. They both kept the conversation light, consisting of Calleigh interrogating Eric on what had happened in the lab while she had been gone. Eric was more than glad to give her a day by day rundown of what happened in her absence. Once in the house Calleigh settled into her bed, falling asleep almost instantly. Eric watched her sleep, her breathing was paced a little faster than usual, but Alexx said that was to be expected.

_Girl I wanted so long to know Now Your telling me you gotta let it go__ (Dont Tell Me I have to start all over again) I Never thought that this day would come (This is somthing that i've wanted in my life) I realize that you're the one (and you're telling me its time to say goodbye) To Put this out of my heart It ain't gonna change So it shouldn't be so easy to walk away (You feel it I feel it lets not be tense)_

Hours passed before Calleigh finally woke up. The sight of a sleepy eyed Eric greeted her. She smiled, thinking that was the perfect sight to wake up to everyday.

"We should talk" Eric broke the silence slowly and carefully. Calleigh nodded, silently agreeing to let him speak first. She had to work up the courage to talk.

"I need you. Flat out, no lying, no over thinking, no nothing. I need you. You're my strength, my world, my everything. The lab, the team, it's all secondary to you. I'm not forcing it to be that way. It just is. I have no control over it, it just feels right. I wish I had said it sooner, but I'm just hoping it's not too late. Cal, I'm ready to give you every part of me, you are my everything. I respect you, admire you, and care for you more than anyone else I know or even care to know. When I watched Alexx fight to keep you with us I felt so helpless, so useless, I would've given you my lungs had it been a possibility. I don't know what this is Cal, what is going on between us, for all I know it is full out love, you know my past I'm not exactly an expert on the subject of love, but all I know is this is the best feeling I've ever felt. Period. Please don't push me away. If it's just something I'm feeling just tell me, it'll be fine. I'll always be your best friend regardless of your decision. I just needed to let this out."

Calleigh just laid in bed staring at him. Not once had he broken eye contact with her, not once had his voice quivered. There was no doubt, Eric Delko was one hundred percent hers, hers alone. The question was, was she ready to be one hundred percent his. Her mind raced, her heart knew the answer but she had to take one last risk and maybe then her mind would relax.

Eric just observed Calleigh's reaction, but read nothing. Any other day it would have been easy to interpret her silence, but today he knew nothing.

"Eric…I,….I don't know what to say. I don't want you to confuse yourself because I'm your friend and you almost lost me. Or just because you want to turn your life in a new direction. I know better, I know you would never use me, but I'd understand if you were just confused. Plus, I mean there's Stetler and the rules and…"

_Baby, I Don't Know What Love Is Maybe I'm A Fool I Just Know What I'm Feeling And It's All Because Of You Don't Tell Me I Don't Know I Want The Truth Cuz They Call It We Call It You Call It I Call It Love _

"Cal, I have never been more sure of something in my life. All I need is for you to say is that you feel even a fourth of what I'm feeling and I will jump through every hurdle you put me through. You want me to switch to the nightshift? I'll do it. You want me to show you in a million and one ways that I really am feeling something real for you, than fine I'll do it." Once again there was no doubt in his voice. None.

" What do you feel? All outside factors aside. What does Calleigh Duquesne feel? Not CSI Duquesne, just Calleigh. Do you feel anything remotely close to what I feel?"

_It's so clear for you to see (dont let anybody tell you what to do) Why they can't they just let us be happy (i dont want to find somebody new) If you know whats real in your heart Then dont let them tear us apart (Cuz you feel it I feel it Lets think this through)_

Calleigh stayed quiet. She knew he meant every word, she just gave him an out one last time, before she let that last fiber of her being be overcome with trust and love for him.

"No," She waited for his reaction. His eyes dimmed instantly and she felt remorse for messing with his emotions for that brief instant.

"I love you." Her southern drawl noticeable in the last few syllables. "I trust you with every fiber of my being. I could not handle living without you either. No, I don't feel something remotely close to what you are saying, I feel the exact same way, maybe even more. No, I refuse to have you switch to the nightshift. You are my best friend, my partner, my rock. I know it's not my nature to be so expressive but its true. I function better with you around."

_We Have a bond thats unbreakable And its not time to let it go And now that we know its real We are going to let it show To the whole world That I'm yours forever and you're my girl _

At that point they both knew it was the beginning of the rest of their lives only they were together and that made it so much better. Eric grabbed Calleigh's waist and pulled her towards him gently before placing a simple sweet kiss on her lips. As they broke apart Calleigh smiled, "By the way Delko, you're in love with me. I'd say its love in my book anyway. Gahhh!!! This is so cheesy! Look what you've done to me! Calleigh giggled like a sixteen year old school girl.

Eric let out a chuckle, "Well thank you for what you've done to me. I love you."

_Baby, I Don't Know What Love Is Maybe I'm A Fool I Just Know What I'm Feeling And It's All Because Of You Don't Tell Me I Don't Know I Want The Truth Cuz They Call It We Call It You Call It I Call It Love _

_Love They Call It Love I Call it Love_

--End--


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